UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES [www.ucla.edu]

Problem
In 1991, UCLA decided to build a state-of-the-art chiller and cogeneration facility to provide clean, cost-effective energy for the campus. Even though the facility would actually lower air emissions from the campus by 34%, the permitting process was complex and highly political. UCLA needed to:

• Design and implement a strategy to expedite permit approval from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) for this 45 megawatt, $188 million cogeneration project.
• Achieve broad support for the project throughout the campus and adjoining communities.

Solution
CEA worked with university and government officials to successfully negotiate the permitting process. Specifically, CEA:

• Developed an overall project case statement that clearly explained the purpose and benefits of this chiller/cogeneration project to supporters and skeptics alike.
• Worked with UCLA and the facility’s designers to propose a project to the SCAQMD that established new Best Available Control Technology (BACT) standards for NOx emissions and cooling tower emissions.
• Engaged the SCAQMD staff in a collaborative review process so that their questions and information requests were answered quickly and completely, thereby allowing for a timely review of the permit request.
• Formed a UCLA community briefing team to meet with and educate legislative and other governmental officials who had expressed concerns about the project.

Results

• CEA focused all the parties involved on solving the problem.
• The application was deemed complete prior to a pending rule revision thereby shortening the construction schedule and substantially reducing overall costs.
• The process became an example for addressing issues at the University before they became problematic and developing creative, proactive approaches that the regulatory agency could (and did) embrace.